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civil union
noun
: the legal status that ensures to same-sex couples specified rights and responsibilities of married couples
Examples of civil union in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Mary and Romain entered into a civil union in 2018, and celebrated their nuptials with a wedding ceremony the following year.
—Erin Clements, Peoplemag, 24 Sep. 2024
In 2018, Mary entered a civil union with her husband Romain Bonnet, celebrating their nuptials with a wedding ceremony the following year.
—Erin Clements, Peoplemag, 14 Sep. 2024
Liechtenstein legalized civil unions in a 2011 referendum.
—Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 July 2024
Iceland, for example, allowed gay civil unions back in 1996.
—Foreign Affairs, 6 Dec. 2013
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Word History
First Known Use
1992, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near civil union
Cite this Entry
“Civil union.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20union. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Legal Definition
civil union
noun
: the legal status that ensures to same-sex couples specified rights and responsibilities of married couples
Note: Following Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. ___ (2015), civil unions in some states were converted to marriages by operation of law, or could be converted by action of the couple.
More from Merriam-Webster on civil union
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for civil union
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about civil union
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